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Tips on Using Squidoo to Promote Your Zazzle Travel Photography

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A Focus On Yelapa, Mexico Demonstrates Uses Of Squidoo And Zazzle Working Together

Photography has been a passion of mine for more years than I care to admit. Squidoo and Zazzle are the perfect combination of outlets to share my work with the world. My photography is sometimes serious, sometimes a bit cheeky, but always fun. Our recent trip to Yelapa, a small coastal fishing village on the Pacific coast of Mexico, is the perfect example of a variety of photographic opportunities. It also happens to be one of my favorite spots. I have chosen to feature it here, as an example of how it all comes together.

All photographs and designs on this page are copyrighted and protected.

Contents at a Glance

A Bit About Yelapa
Yelapa Is:
Do you like to take lots of photos when...
Before You Go, Be Sure You Have What You...
Ok, So Now You Have Those Prize Shots
How Zazzle Can Help

Always a Good Idea to Know A Bit About Your Location

Before I go somewhere new, I like to learn a bit about the location. It makes the photo shoot more interesting and focused. Here is a short bit on Yelapa:

Yelapa is remote, peaceful village and a small piece of paradise located along Mexico's west coast in the state of Jalisco. Surrounded by tropical jungle, access is only by boat, mountain bike or hiking down from El Tuito, high in the mountains behind the village. Yelapa has intermittent electricity and few phones. There are no street names or maps. It's name means 'gathering place' or 'meeting place.'

Yelapa is thought to have been first populated by the Aztec's as they traveled south from Tenacatitlan, through Yelapa and then inland to eventually form Mexico City. Later it developed into a quaint fishing village and now tourism is the primary industry, as daily boats visit from Puerto Vallarta and local small towns. The local population now totals about 1500 and its residents have included Bob Dylan and Dennis Hopper.

Yelapa Is:

Beach
Jungle
Village

Do you like to take lots of photos when you travel?

Not just tourist numbers - I shot over 3000 photos on my last 54 day adventure!

Some people tell me that I am missing out on the fun and seeing the world through a tiny lens rather than enjoying. Clearly I disagree. And, I am grateful for digital photography! What are your thoughts?

Loading poll. Please Wait...

Share this poll
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Before You Go, Be Sure You Have What You Might Need

Here is where the above research comes in handy!

For jungle and beach I needed different supplies. Here are a few items to help out with that hike through the jungle to find those waterfalls or to look for iguanas.

Ok, So Now You Have Those Prize Shots

What Do You Do Next

The internet offers many choices. You could post them on your own webpage or on a social network. You could post them on Flickr, Snapfish or another photo storage service. Or you could use them to generate a bit of revenue on a resource such as Zazzle.

From Zazzle's home page, "Zazzle is the only on-demand retail platform for consumers and major brands, offering billions of retail quality, one-of-a-kind products shipped within 24 hours."

I do all three.

This photo is taken on a 2 hour return hike through the jungle from the Yelapa beach where we arrived.

How Zazzle Can Help

A Great Way to Promote Your Best Work

When I design Zazzle products, I generally work with three versions of each photo, as different items are better suited to different shaped photos. Zazzle does have on their site recommended specs for each product type, but I generally stick to:
- Standard Rectangle
- Square
- and a version with Feathered edges
(I use Photoshop, but most photo editors can do basic crop, resize and feather)

Amongst the products offered by Zazzle, rectangle photos work best on postcards, greeting cards and US postage stamps. Even though I don't live in the US, many Zazzle buyer do, so I make stamps. Here are four of my favorite Yelapa designs using a rectangle photo.

Like what you see? Click the pictures and you can go buy it :)

Waterfall - Yelapa, Jalisco, Mexico postcard

What to Do with the Square Photos

Keychains, Stickers, Buttons and Magnets

I know the old saying is you can't fit square pegs in round holes, but in this case the opposite is true, the sqaure photos fit best on the round novelty items.

Like what you see? Click the pictures and you can go buy it :)

And Feathering, What's This All About

Simply a Way to Blend Your Photo to Your Background

Regardless of which shape best suits my photo, I try and feather the design. This can be done in any photo editor, although I typically use Adobe Illustrator. It blends out the edges and fades them, so you don't have those sharp edges on your design. Typically I use feathers photos for all apparel items.

Like what you see? Click the pictures and you can go buy it :)

Are Zazzle And Squidoo a Perfect Match

Share your comments - I'd love to hear them

Do You Think Zazzle And Squidoo Are a Perfect Match?

Absolutely a perfect way to promote and lots of fun too!

elynmac says:

Looks good. I am going to do further investigating! I have tons of China photos.

BarbRad says:

Definitely. I love making Zazzle products and featuring them on Squidoo lenses.

mbgphoto says:

I love using Zazzle and Squidoo together!!

charlino says:

Squidoo & Zazzle . . . a match made in heaven.

jptanabe says:

Yes indeed! My husband's the artist and I write on Squidoo. So we're a perfect match too!

Michey says:

Yes! You can promote what you want, and create lenses to promote Zazzle store. What is different about Squidoo - you can promote what you want if you do a professional job and not spam. There are no restrictions on promoting on Squidoo.

mbgphoto says:

I too am a photographer and I love both Zazzle and Squidoo!

Mrs_R says:

I might have said no to this originally - but once I mad my new Squidoo Lens to help violin teachers and students - I sold some of my playful "string" oriented Zazzle products - so I have to vote YES - they are a perfect match!

Sojourn says:

I don't have a Zazzle store myself, but I have certainly seen how well they can go together!

No, too much bother to do all of this work.

JA says:

I barely take any pictures so I can't be bothered to make a product.

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Here are Some Great Books on Travel Photography

all available from Amazon

If you are looking to polish your photography skills, start a new travel photography hobby, sell your work or just see what some other artists are doing, any of these book would be a great choice!

Please Click Here to Check out My Zazzle Store

If You Need A Laugh

and are looking for other Zazzle products

Check out this lens

All This Assumes You Have A Camera

If you don't have one, here are a few suggestions

Here are two I would recommend for beginners, depending on your priority. Both take great shots. One is more compact, the other allows you greater flexibility. I had only my Lumix TZ3 in Yelapa.

Attention Zazzlers - Join Squidoo!

Squidoo is a great place to promote your Zazzle store and earn referral royalties Click Here to Join Squidoo

Already A Zazzler?

Add your link here

Here is your chance for a bit of self promotion. Please add your link below. If you check out any of these pages and like them, please come back and vote for it by clicking on the up arrow next to its link.

Tips on Using Squidoo to Promote Your Zazzle Travel Photography

A Focus On Yelapa, Mexico Demonstrates Uses Of Squidoo And Zazzle Working Together

Contents at a Glance

Contents at a Glance

A Bit About Yelapa

Always a Good Idea to Know A Bit About Your Location

Yelapa Is:

Do you like to take lots of photos when you travel?

Not just tourist numbers - I shot over 3000 photos on my last 54 day adventure!

Thanks for voting! Now invite your friends to vote.

Before You Go, Be Sure You Have What You Might Need

Here is where the above research comes in handy!

Ok, So Now You Have Those Prize Shots

What Do You Do Next

How Zazzle Can Help

A Great Way to Promote Your Best Work

What to Do with the Square Photos

Keychains, Stickers, Buttons and Magnets

And Feathering, What's This All About

Simply a Way to Blend Your Photo to Your Background

Are Zazzle And Squidoo a Perfect Match

Share your comments - I'd love to hear them

Do You Think Zazzle And Squidoo Are a Perfect Match?

Absolutely a perfect way to promote and lots of fun too!

elynmac says:

BarbRad says:

mbgphoto says:

charlino says:

jptanabe says:

Michey says:

mbgphoto says:

Mrs_R says:

Sojourn says:

No, too much bother to do all of this work.

JA says:

Here are Some Great Books on Travel Photography

all available from Amazon

If You Need A Laugh

and are looking for other Zazzle products

All This Assumes You Have A Camera

If you don't have one, here are a few suggestions

Attention Zazzlers - Join Squidoo!

Already A Zazzler?

Add your link here

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Please pick your widget size and display. Then click "Make the Widget" to get the code that's just right for you.

Voila! Just copy and paste this code into your own site. Have fun!

Oopsey! Please login to Squidoo in order to add this module to your lens.

A Fun Geography Game

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About the Author

by Road-Kill

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